Our properties in Istria range from beautiful villas in the countryside to a villa right on the seafront at Pula. Istria has the largest peninsula in the Adriatic, and the coast is a short drive away from all the properties. Here there are endless opportunities for sailing, swimming, diving and sampling the very best of the local seafood.

Although parts of the coast have been more heavily developed with modern hotel complexes, on the whole development has been sympathetic and the main coastal towns of Porec, Rovinj and Pula retain their original charm. Inland, the countryside still feels amazingly rural and unexplored, with its wooded hills and valleys, vineyards and olive groves and pretty hilltop towns. Culturally, the region has a rich heritage. The Venetians ruled here for 400 years, before Istria was incorporated first in the Austo-Hungarian Empire, then into Facist Italy and finally the Yugoslav Federation. There is still evidence of Italian influence, with Italian being largely the second language, and in the cuisine. As well as wonderful fresh seafood from the Adriatic, local specialities include freshly made pasta dishes, cured ham, truffles and wild asparagus.

With its amphitheatre and other Roman relics, Pula is the largest town. The beautifully preserved amphitheatre hosts the Pula Opera Festival in the summer and is also used for other events throughout the year. Rovinj is a charmingly picturesque town with narrow, cobbled streets and its lively port lined with cafes, restaurants, galleries and boutiques. Porec is the most popular town as a holiday resort and among the numerous historical sites here, is the 6th century Euphrasian Basilica, beautifully preserved and known for its gold mosaics. Each of these towns boasts an impressive daily open air market where a wonderful selection of fresh food can be purchased.

The area offers tennis, golf, cycling and walking in the beautiful hills. Several of our properties are close to the picture postcard village of Motovun, home of the famous annual film festival, which lasts for five days with evening outdoor screenings as well as daily shows in theatres.

To get to Istria, it is possible to drive from the U.K., as it is approximately the same distance as driving to Tuscany. Alternatively, Croatia Airlines operates direct scheduled flights from both Gatwick and Manchester to Pula, the nearest airport in Istria to our properties. Other options are flights to Trieste in Italy or Rijeka in Dalmatia, both approximately a two hour drive away. Llubijana is around 2 ½ hours drive and Venice, 3 hours. There are also hydrofoil connections between Venice and Pula, Rovinj or Porec which takes about 2 hours.